For about a year I’ve been between 180 and 185. Lately, I’ve jumped up to 195. This is a bigger problem than just weight gain – I got rid of all my ‘fat clothes’, which I recommend as it’s an extra motivator to keep the weight off.
And right now my clothes are beginning to get tight – and as I’m not going to buy bigger clothes, it’s either lose the weight or wear garbage bags.
So I decided to go back to the beginning and do the Atkins induction. I went to Vitamin Shoppe to get ketosis strips – I found these to be very helpful as an indicator of how I was doing when I first did induction. When I asked for them the woman looked at me like I was asking for a moon rock.
Ironically, even though evidence keeps piling up that low carb is a sound means of losing weight, less and less are products available for those of us who take the Atkins approach.
As I left the store I said to the woman: “Am I the last person on Atkins?” She laughed.
TIP: If you are looking for ketosis sticks, which I found very helpful when I first lost my weight, go to the pharmacy and ask the pharmacist – they kept them behind the counter at my local Walgreens. Don’t bother with Vitamin Shoppe – for them the only thing you’ll find is overpriced Atkins bars and shakes.
Low Carb Confidential 
A few years ago there were all kinds of new low-carb products hitting the store shelves. I think that there are still as many people doing low-carb but it’s just no longer the cool thing to do.
Definately Not the last but we aren’t a majority.omost of the junk food low carb was useless but there were some items I really liked and miss. netrition.com has many products and there shipping is way reasonable. Stay the course, you really aren’t alone!
I did induction in 2003. Now that I am committed to do it in 2007, it’s a whole new world. Atkins works for me – no doubt about it, but it was easier when finding products wasn’t an easter-egg hunt. Geez – they used to make a reduced-sugar orange juice. While not for the Atkins set, I did want to switch my family over since I think the less sugar the better for *anyone*. Can’t find it. I miss the Atkins bagels too. They were to real bagels what Genuine Imitation Leather was to leather, but when you had the craving they were great.
You most certainly aren’t the last low-carber. We’re out here and just plugging along swimmingly. 😀
If you miss the Atkins bagels, then you should try the ones from Francis Simun Bakery. There are alternatives for everything out there, but low-carb is so much more than meat, eggs, and cheese!
Keep up the great work on your low-carb lifestyle! 🙂
Jimmy Moore, author of “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb: My Journey From Flabby Fat To Sensationally Skinny In One Year”
http://livinlavidalocarb.blogspot.com
livinlowcarbman@charter.net
Podcast: http://www.thelivinlowcarbshow.com
Jimmy,
Thank you for the comments and the links. If I really find myself hankering for a bagel, I might check these folks out, but part of the puzzle I’m trying to solve here is ‘how does the average person who wants to go on low carb do it and be successful?’ I don’t think having to order your bread from across the country cuts it. I’ve heard all the excuses from other people about why Atkins wouldn’t work for them – long-distance bread would be another.
Luckily, somebody (I think it was you) pointed out that Panera Bread has 2 low carb varieties. Also, at least in my area, I’m able to get bread called ‘The Baker’ that is 5 grams net carbs – a dark and flavorful bread that has such a depth of flavor that I would eat it if I *didn’t* do low carb.
You and I are lucky – we beat the odds and took the weight off. But why did it work for us and not for all those other people who tried and failed? For me at least, it isn’t that I’ve got some superhuman willpower, or that I’m filthy rich and can afford to have lobster every day. I once heard that Atkins was a ‘rich man’s diet’ – another myth that really ticks me off.
I don’t have the answers – I’m still trying to find the right *questions*, for goodness sake, but I’m angry that so many people spend so much time and energy trying to lose weight, can’t do it, and think it’s some moral failure on their part. While there IS a need for some personal responsibility, I don’t think it’s beyond the means of most people. I’ve seen people on low-fats diets expend a hell of a lot more willpower than I have and get little or no results.
It’s what compels me to write this blog – I really don’t know how I lost the weight on Atkins while the vast majority of the world thinks Atkins doesn’t work.
Maybe through writing, I might figure it out and help others to do it too – at least that’s my hope.
Hey – you keep up the good work yourself – I find a lot of good information on your site and appreciate the effort and the spirit you put into it.
Regards,
LCC